The Yreka City Council has scheduled a special meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. to consider appointing a new city attorney. Deliberations will be held in closed session.

Outgoing city attorney Mary Frances McHugh told the Daily News yesterday that she’ll be leaving the position on Dec. 7 to accept a new position as the Siskiyou County Superior Court Executive Officer (CEO).

According to the court’s CEO vacancy announcement, “Under executive direction of the presiding judge of the court, this executive level position provides strategic direction and has overall management authority and responsibility for the non-judicial components of a court system.”

Regarding the city attorney’s position, the city of Yreka’s website states, “The city attorney is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the city council. The function of the city attorney is to engage in a full range of municipal law practices, which includes the preparation of ordinances, contracts, leases, code updates and other legal documents.”

The city of Yreka’s employment opportunity web page does not list a vacancy for the city attorney’s position.

Yreka City Manager Steve Baker said the council does not necessarily advertise publicly for the position. He would not confirm any specific individuals being considered for the position. However, he said the city attorney serves at the will of the council so it is up to the council to decide how to fill the position.

“That’s what they’re doing right now,” Baker said, referring to tonight’s special meeting.

City Councilman Rob Bicego said “some members of the local legal community have expressed an interest in the position but the council still has not even decided whether it’s better to hire a full- or part-time attorney or to contract one. It’s not a rubber stamp process,” Bicego said.